AUDIO DEVICE
Pure Class A Desktop Headphone Amplifier (Discrete BJT)
Specifications
| Category | Headphone Amp |
|---|---|
| Brand | Studio Reference |
| Form factor | Desktop |
| Power source | Linear Ps |
| DAC chip | n/a (analog input) |
| Amp topology | Pure Class A discrete (BJT) |
| Output power @ 32Ω | 3200 mW |
| Output power @ 300Ω | 1800 mW |
| Output impedance | 0.2 Ω |
| SNR | 128 dB |
| THD | 0.0005 % |
| MQA support | no |
| Price (USD) | $1899 |
| Release year | 2022 |
Overview
Single-purpose desktop headphone amplifier. Pure Class A discrete bipolar-transistor topology with no integrated chip op-amps anywhere in the signal path. 3,200 mW into 32 Ω and 1,800 mW into 300 Ω with output impedance below 0.2 Ω — a damping factor of 160 into a 32 Ω planar.
Three outputs: 4.4 mm Pentaconn balanced, 4-pin XLR balanced, and 6.35 mm single-ended TRS. Balanced XLR and RCA inputs accept any line-level source. The canonical pairing with the desktop reference DAC.
Drives every headphone in the database with massive headroom. The right amplifier for the reference open-back planar and the classic 300 Ω dynamic.
Output jacks
Recommended pairings
Reference Open-Back Planar Magnetic Headphone — Studio Flagship
32Ω · planar-magnetic
Classic 300Ω Open-Back Dynamic Reference Headphone
300Ω · dynamic
Closed-Back Dynamic Studio Monitor Headphone
80Ω · dynamic
Frequently asked questions
What headphones pair well with Pure Class A Desktop Headphone Amplifier (Discrete BJT)?
Pure Class A Desktop Headphone Amplifier (Discrete BJT) delivers approximately 3200 mW into 32Ω and 1800 mW into 300Ω with an output impedance of 0.2 Ω. That makes it well-matched to demanding planar headphones and high-sensitivity IEMs alike.